Quote from: sflzman on September 13, 2012, 11:24:46 PM

Quote from: ThunderStorm_3peat on September 13, 2012, 09:59:48 PM
haha wow, the wooshing sound you hear thats the sound of this going over your head

Not to try to step in and fight formers fights because I know for a fact he can fight them himself. But as a fellow poster, as this is a person I respect a lot inside and outside of this board I feel the need to voice my opinion.

Do you not realize how incredibly stupid and ignorant you're sounding? Going over HIS head? Take a step back and re read everything that he has posted. You're ridiculously blinded by your own anger for whatever the reason is and you're not even making sense of this. Don't come on here and start bashing a WIAC poster just because his qb decided he was better than trine and don't sit and bash former because you are failing to comprehend the conversation that is going on here. Wake up. Step back. Cool your jets. And admit that you're in the wrong here.

I could not agree more! +k (if I could) 

Sorry I haven't posted sooner on the Hope-Millikin game....I'm just getting to the point that I can talk about it  ....I was there and actually little analysis is needed.....Hope didn't execute or play with passion in any phase of the game......got down 49-6....and although Hope did score the last 2 touchdowns of the game, it was long after it was over.......Millikin is pretty good, but it should have been a more competitive game than it was....I had high hopes for the season...and its way too early to set those aside, but the first two games were too much like a pattern of behavior from last year....it entirely depends on which Hope Team shows up as to whether the game will be competitive or not. Hopefully, the boys learned a lesson last week and will play with far more emotion and execute the way they are capable of.......injuries have been a bit of an issue, but they are putting a good team on the field and should be able to play over that......Regardless, we gotta get this fixed before the MIAA schedule begins.....We'll see what happens this Saturday.
Go Hope!

Hardly.....this seems to be a personal deal between the two of you (or you with him)....take it to another board or PM and settle it.......or better yet let it go....his comments were almost a year ago...here we'd just like to focus on the topics at hand......for fun....and entertainment.....with a little non-personal light banter thrown in......

Without (much) further comment, I agree with Gregory Sager and formerd3db's comments on the Hope-NPU game.
Without question the CCIW is a very good conference.....We have 2 more games left this year with members. Millikin this weekend, and IWU 2 weeks after that. We should be (heavy) underdogs in both games as we have never beat Millikin, and are 1-7 all-time with IWU (including losing the last 6 times), so have not earned anything more. We just need to stay focused, work hard, play with passion and continue to get better and hope to be competitive where we can.   

Exactly right formerdb......As I said, I know NPU is not exactly the standard bearer for the CCIW, but for Hope fans, to win a home opener for the first time in 10+ years, and break a streak of losses against CCIW that is longer than that, makes it big in removing those monkeys from our back......regardless of who its against.......now we move ahead and focus on the next opportuity to get better.....

By the way...Hope also rolled out new uniforms and new helmet decals.....they looked sharp.....all to go along with the new turf, lights, and other stadium improvments......

Happy first week everyone.....I also was at the Hope game Saturday, and probably felt a little better about it than DBQ1965, and have less predictive thoughts looking forward. Although, I agree that Hope did have some problems early, they were able to make the required adjustments and finished strong.....Here are my thoughts:

Defense: NPU scored on 3 of its first 4 possessions running up something in the neighborhood of 200 yards. As I understand it, part of the reason for this was that NPU made some changes to its offense (new coordinator, I heard), and what they ran was not enirely what Hope expected. Hope made some defensive changes, and NPU only scored one more time in the game, and barely had another 100 yards the rest of the way....Should Hope have known and been better prepared......maybe......but it was game 1, a first time oppornent and its not like anybody scouted NPU's scrimmage....bottom line is that they made the needed adjustments and shut things down.

Offense: Hope's running game did a great job. The line opened holes, and the 4 backs did their job from there. The passing game took a little longer to get going...started off just 3-9, but then going 17-22 the rest of the way, hitting 7 different receivers. All in all a very good effort, with way more positive than negative.

Special Teams....Kicking game was strong, punter was a freshman who did a decent job and will get better as the season goes on.

Overall this was a big win...Its been 10+ years since Hope won a season home opener, and longer than that since they beat anybody from the CCIW. I know NPU iis hardly the standard bearer for the CCIW, but they were 3-0 to start last season. It was good to see Hope play with a workman like confidence. Although the score did get close a couple of times once Hope scored their second touchdown, there never seemed to be a sense of concern as there might have been in the past. Just an attitude of ' lets do our jobs and finish the win'...the same kind of attitude that won the Adrian game for them last year....they are learning what it takes to win and just need to do it consistently....

Now its on to play Millikin and 'hope' the progress continues. The Dutchmen have not yet earned the right to forecast wins. They are to the point that they can go into games knowing they are capable of competing to win if they just continue to work hard to get better, stay healthy, and play with the same passion, resolve and the workman like effort. We're looking forward to that, and expect a fun season.

Go Hope!     

realist - Well Put.... (virtual +k)

I don't know anything about what is going on at Alma from a coaching change perspective, other than what I read here...but, it has always occurred to me that the AD being the offensive coordinator has got to complicate things if an involuntary head coaching change took place.....from a decision making standpoint, from a span of change standpoint (does the OC change too), from a hiring a new coach standpoint or even who evaluates the Head Coach...this would be further complicated at the moment, by the AD/OC son's being the leader and engine for the offense....interesting.....probably works well and is healthy for all when things are going well....and complicated when there is a problem......and, I'm guessing that what is defined as success changes as the College's President of Board of Trustee's change...further complicating things....This may have been discussed before, but I curious about other's thoughts..... 

Welcome to raideralley from another recent newcomer....

I think I am generally on board with formerd3db in many regards on this topic (virtual +k).....
Pesonally, I can't get into a discussion about which school is 'more' wrong (Penn State, Ohio State, SMU, school/situation of your choice).....These things shouldn't happen....when they come out the School, NCAA, and legal system will deal with the appropriately (I know...don't yell at me...I'm aware that it took 10+ years at Penn State)....but its a no win agrument fpr me...there are alot of good point and perspectives .....but, ultimatley, the good Lord will pass judgement and I don't have to....(I don't mean to offend anybody by getting spiritual here, but I guess thats what you get from a fan and the parent of a player at a faith based school) ..my energy tends to go into focusing on prayer and support for the healing and peace for the victims, for the people who get stuck with the stressful, no-win task of cleaning up the mess, for the people affected unfairly as 'collatoral damage' and for the legitimate repentence and repair of the guity......Its a bad deal all the way around in every case usually involving smart people that ought to know better.....

I agree with raideralley....(would +k if I could)...This ongoing (over and over) story involving DI programs is getting old....this is why I have learned to love DIII.....at one point I had the dream of my son being a D I player...It didn't work out......and now I am glad about that...he's playing a games he loves...is having some success....he is (and being coached by folks who are) focused on preparing for life spitually, academically, and socially and playing competitive football with success as a team the goal.....and being, and being around good people......that's what is important.....It seems like the money, the fame, the media, all of the external pressures in 'big time' athletics is creating a collection of behaviors that are contrary to everything that I think athletics are supposed to be all about....The NCAA and legal systems can't write enough rules or building a big enough enforcement system to combat that.....I don't have an answer, but its broke....I like watch DI sports, but wish it didn't have all of the baggage around it that it currently does...and now I'm glad we are where we are at he school we're at, with the people that are there with us.....     

Also...Not to dominate the posting...am pretty excited about moving up off the JV to second stringer.   

Formerd3db (and others)....sorry we didn't get caught up this last Saturday...or previously.....I tend to be a little tough to be around before and during the games, and am usually with the family catching up with my son on the field afterward.....but, I will make a better attempt as we go forward....I've really enjoyed all of you, or comments and insight....this board is great......Its going to be a great weekend for football and some fun games to watch......

I think many of you hit the nail on the head...The result of the Albion-Trine game will depend greatly on if or how much Orr and Krause play...and the options are farly broad on that topic...Given they already have the league championship and AQ locked up (although there may be some pride attached to the possibility if being co-champ), an argument could be made to hold Orr and Krause out, particularly if they were held out of the Depauw game due to injury...Obviously having them healthy would greatly improve their chances in round 1....I don't know why they didn't play...I do know Orr's playing time earlier due some injury issues...I also saw he only carried the ball 5 times in the 2nd half against Adrian (one in the 4th quarter), after carrying it 20+ times in the 1st half...I have no clue why Krause didn't play......But, although I think Trine is capable of pulling off the upset (is it really an upset when a 7-2 team beats a 5-4 team?), I think it will be much tougher with Orr and Krause healthy and playing the full game.....Orr, when at full speed is a really good player...a game changer.....and, obviously, having your starting QB matters alot....so, ultimately, like I always say about the Hope games....It depends on who shows up to play...and who gets it done......Obviously, Hope fans are hoping Trine can get it done....

Meanwhile, we're hoping that the Dutchmen get it done....Hope is capable of competing to beat anybody in the conference...they've proven that...they've also proven they can lose focus, make mistakes, and allow opponents to stay in a game......Saturday they cannot allow that to happen....they cannot look past or underestimate Olivet....they've invested an awful lot in this turnaround season.....learing how to win as a team again....So, Saturday they need to finish what they started......get it done....right from the beginning.....setting the stage for a potential co-championship, a productive off season and a fruitful 2012 season.....Go Hope!

   

Good Afternoon.....

It was a great day to watch football and for the Hope faithful all the way around....

It was a great win for the Dutchmen, but some will focus on the Adrian 21 point comeback and characterize it as a Hope failure  ......here are a few random thoughts about that topic and the game....

1. The fact is that Adrian is a good football team (7-0 at one point, previously ranked in the top 25 etc), and it should be more of a suprise that they were down 21-0 than the fact that they made a comeback....The comeback says alot of positive about their character and the kind of competitors that they are....They never quit.....and Hope played them tough......

2. It was interesting to look at the stats...In Adrian's first 8 possessions, they only passed the ball 9 times...and had a really tough time rushing against the Hope defense (I do remember one fairly long run in the first quarter, but not much else)....They threw the ball 16 times (completeing 13) in the 3 scoring possessions late in the game....None of the completions were really 'long gainers'...I don't think this means that Adrian should have thrown the whole game, but between the possibility that Hope playing more of a prevent style coverage, Hope getting burned a couple of times, a couple of penalties, along with some good execution worked out for the Bulldogs during this time.....Also, I'm not sure it was sustainable as they were 0-5 passing in their last 4Q possession and in OT.....Not sure if any of this matters for anything, but I thought it was interesting as it was the way they set up their 3 short run scores.....

3. This game felt different for Hope than others had is the recent memory...Hope came out really ready to play and it showed.....They did a nice job of getting on top when they need to.....Also, It felt different late in the game. In the recent past it seemed like an opoonent scoring run like this would have spelled disaster...In this case the team seemed to keep their head about them, buckled down and played with determined confidence to win (versus not to lose)...even when the crowd got really relly quiet at one point, the the players on the field, the kids on the sideline and the coaching staff never let up.....this was really encouraging, shows the progress this team has made, and, hopefully, bodes well for the future.......building on this success will be critical for them......   

All in all it was a great day for football.....but one more game remains, and Hope needs to get ready for the next 'big game' at Olivet...they can't look by anybody and need to stay focused on the Comets, play hard and finish the season with a win......and, HOPE, good things will happen.....Go Hope!

More about today's game later, but looking ahead, you are right...there are no bigger Trine fans in the world for the next week....However, its all for naught if the Dutchmen don't take care of the business they can control at at Olivet......